August 3
Today we took a trip out of Barcelona to Girona. Girona started out as an old Roman fortress, and it has evolved over time into a modern city set among layers of ancient and medieval architecture. Its current claim to fame is that it was a filming location for many scenes in Game of Thrones, which made it an exciting stop for Geoffrey.
You can take either high-speed or regional trains to get there. We booked a high-speed train ahead of time—which takes about 40 minutes—and left our return trip open so we could be flexible. Regional trains take about an hour and a half, while high-speed ones are faster but sometimes more expensive… but not always!
We did our own self-guided walking tour through the streets of Girona, using Game of Thrones as a loose guide to help us find cool filming spots and hidden gems throughout the city. We wandered through narrow, winding streets that were once part of the Jewish Quarter, which eventually led us to the grand steps of Girona Cathedral—one of the show’s major filming locations. (It was used as the Great Sept of Baelor in King’s Landing.)
Walking behind the cathedral to a quiet street where Arya begs while blind, we stumbled across Girona’s old city wall, still standing and surrounded by green park areas. We ended up walking along it for quite some time, enjoying panoramic views of the city from high above.
We followed the walls most of the way and eventually made our way back down—surprised to realize we’d looped quite close to where we first climbed up!
Back in the main part of town, we had lunch at a wood-fired pizza restaurant. The food was delicious, and the ambiance was casual and fun.
Afterward, we continued to the courtyard of the Archaeological Museum, where more scenes were filmed, and took some photos. We also found a scene where Arya is chased down some steps - thanks to gps, photos, and a little luck. This city was awesome because it was walkable, manageable, and there was cool things to see around every corner.
Then we walked down to the river to see the red bridge—also known as Pont de les Peixateries Velles—designed by Gustave Eiffel, the same guy behind the Eiffel Tower. We ended our afternoon in Girona with some gelato before catching a high-speed train back to Barcelona.
In true Spanish tradition, we rested at our hotel in the late afternoon before heading out for a casual Catalonian dinner at the nearby mall.
August 4
Today was our last day in Barcelona—and also the last day of our trip! Now that the cruise industry is really picking up in Europe and so many ships stop in Barcelona, we have a feeling we’ll be back. Which is nice, because… Barcelona is freaking hot, and it’s hard to do a lot! Maybe we were just winding down, too. I think we were all feeling a little slow and sluggish—probably a mix of heat, fatigue, and knowing the trip is coming to an end.
We started our morning by visiting a different mall so Grant could pick up a soccer jersey for someone he knows through George. Then we headed downtown. We wandered through the Gothic Quarter and the nearby park and had lunch at a brunch spot called Nonna’s. After lunch, we visited the Sagrada Família and took some photos from the outside. It still stuns me every time I see it—so wild that it’s still under construction after more than a century.
We came back to the hotel in the afternoon for our siesta. Tonight, Grant and I are going out to dinner while the kids eat at the hotel. We’re going to try to get to bed a little early since we still have to pack—and we fly out tomorrow!
Right now, I’m tired and still processing everything, but looking through pictures, it’s kind of amazing how much we got to see and do on this trip. I’m so lucky to have such an amazing partner in Grant—he complements me so well, and I have such a good time traveling with him. I’m also really proud of the kids. We barely had any true “down” days, and they were troopers overall. I hope they look back on this trip fondly—and that I didn’t wear them out so much that they forget all the good parts!
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